Avid Hopes
by ShadowChat
Summary: When Marinette becomes curious about why Adrien always runs off during akuma attacks she decides to do a bit of recon. What will she do when she discovers Adrien has a secret of his own, and how will she react to Chat Noir as Ladybug when she finds out who it is under the mask? (Some S3 spoilers)
1. Chapter 1

**-1-**

The mere brush of fingers shouldn't have been something to get excited about, but Marinette couldn't stop the wide grin spreading across her face. Adrien's hand had reached for hers in a bid to drag her away from the latest akuma attack, yet all she could think about was the zing of electricity she felt from his touch.

She should have been focussed on the situation at hand. She should have been scanning the area for somewhere to transform. Instead, she was relishing the nearness of her crush. A projectile flew through the air and Adrien tugged her to his chest, pushing her against the nearest wall to shield her body with his own. Marinette grasped the edge of his white button up shirt as he held her close, protecting her from the chaos.

As romantic as his gesture was, Marinette realised that she should be the one protecting him. She was the one with the alter ego and she'd let her hormones cloud her judgement. She needed to sneak away from Adrien so she could transform. With her mind clearing, she glanced about and decided her best chance was to duck into the nearest classroom to hide.

Apparently, Adrien had the same idea. "This way," he instructed her as he grabbed her hand again, leading her to the safety of the classroom. He swung open the door and shoved her into the room. "Stay here, you'll be safe."

Bluebell eyes blinked in confusion as he closed the door on her and rushed off. It wasn't the first time Adrien had told her to stay safe during and akuma attack, only to dash off on his own. Tikki's voice spoke from her handbag, "Quick, Marinette, you need to transform!"

"Oh, right." Scanning the room, Marinette sunk down below one of the desks and called out, "Spots on!" In moments, the girl was transformed into Ladybug. Striding to the opposite side of the room, the heroine opened the nearest window and climbed outside.

A man dressed in army fatigues mottled in red, orange and pink, scurried around shouting at those running from him. "I am the Recruiter, you will join the army!" From there he tossed what looked like hand-grenades at the crowd. Ladybug spun her yoyo, angling the end so it hit the grenade, knocking it away from the innocent people. Unlike real grenades, when it exploded it merely fragmented into a gas. The few unfortunate people within range then morphed into soldiers in matching red, orange and pink outfits, then began marching behind the Recruiter.

As Ladybug took in this information, Chat Noir landed beside her. "Well this reminds me of Darkblade," he muttered with a cock of his feline ears.

"Yep, we need to avoid his grenades."

"Do you know where the akuma is?"

"Not sure, maybe the belt he's pulling the grenades from. They seem to be replenishing themselves as soon as he's run out."

"A likely candidate. Let's do this."

Without further prompting, the pair of superheroes set to action. Chat Noir played the distraction while Ladybug snuck in to relieve the Recruiter of his belt after calling on her lucky charm. Things were wrapped up with relative ease. After the bumping of their fists, Chat Noir snagged Ladybug's fingers. "So, milady, we've got patrol this Saturday night. I was wondering if you wanted to go out for ice cream afterward?"

Ladybug gave him a dubious look. "As long as it's not a date."

A black gloved hand came to rest upon his own chest. "While my heart beats only for you, and I'd love it to be a date, I'm content with just your company and ice cream."

She couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Fine. See you Saturday."

Chat Noir grinned as he placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Can't wait."

With a shake of her head, Ladybug retreated in the opposite direction to her partner and dropped her transformation. She scurried back to the classroom where Adrien had left her and settled beneath one of the desks just as the door opened. The stunning blonde popped his head inside. "Marinette?"

"I'm here," she said as she crawled out of her supposed hiding place.

A relieved smile tugged at Adrien's lips. "I'm sorry I didn't come back. I didn't want to draw attention to your hiding place."

Marinette nodded in understanding but felt a little hurt that he hadn't returned, even though it would have been hard to explain her sudden disappearance. While it was easier this way, it didn't sit right with her. Not once had he ever offered to stay with her during an akuma attack, and while it made her life easier as Ladybug, it made her wonder why he always ran off.

Before she could think better of it, she asked, "Where did you go?"

"I um, uh, ended up getting exposed to the gas from one of those grenades."

Something was off with his answer as his voice pitched too high and his cheeks were tainted pink. What exactly did that mean? Was he lying? Perhaps covering something up? "You should have stayed with me."

Adrien raised his hand to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah, I probably should have." By this stage, students were streaming back into the school and heading back to class. Green eyes took in the flow of people and added, "We should head back to class. Don't want to be late."

Marinette was reluctant to let it go that easily but really, what else could she say? So, she just nodded and followed him back to class. When she sat down, she began jotting notes about all the times she'd been with Adrien when there'd been an akuma attack. Of one thing she was certain, he always managed to disappear in some way. Perhaps he was just unfortunate and managed to be affected by the akumas, but why did he always run headlong into danger?

It wasn't like he ran the Ladyblog, although Alya had mentioned his great interest in Ladybug. That had been rather flattering. Then again, Chloe was as big a fan as well. Still, she wanted to understand Adrien's motive. The idea of him being afraid didn't sit right with her, he was far too bold and protective for that to be the reason.

Tapping her pencil to her lip, Marinette decided that she'd be keeping a very close eye on her crush when the next akuma attack occurred.

* * *

 _ **Marinette is certainly in for a big surprise later on. What do you think Tikki will say when she discovers Marinette's plan?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**-2-**

Three days passed before the next akuma attack. Fortunately, they were in class and Marinette was given the opportunity to study Adrien's reaction to the impending chaos. The blonde boy turned his head this way and that, clearly checking if anyone was looking at him. Being seated so close to him meant Marinette had to feign her attention being elsewhere.

Their teacher gave the okay to evacuate and all the students grabbed their bags and headed towards the door with haste. Alya was one of the first ones through the door but Adrien was a close second. Marinette weaved her way through her ambling classmates, keeping her eyes locked on the model.

Adrien was jogging his way against the flow of students as they made it to the ground level. This had Marinette's eyes narrowing, why was he going in the opposite direction? Did he have an abject fear of akumas? That didn't make a lot of sense. Particularly when she thought about Riposte and how he'd leapt between her and the oncoming attack, rolling her out of danger when she was Ladybug.

Being that bit shorter than Adrien, Marinette had more trouble angling through the students and she almost missed the moment when he ducked through the doorway she'd only been through when they were hunting down Horrificator. Was he going to hide in the boiler room?

Dark eyebrows pulled together as her forehead wrinkled in confusion. Tikki tapped at her hand. "Marinette, what are you waiting for?"

Mentally shaking herself, Marinette realised she didn't have time to dawdle. As curious as she was to Adrien's strange behaviour, she needed to become Ladybug. With a smirk she decided that she could probably use Adrien's exit strategy as a place to transform. If he had run off to the boiler room it meant the long passageway which led to it would be empty.

As her hand reached for the handle, the door suddenly opened and there stood Chat Noir. Taken aback, Marinette stared at her partner wide eyed. How the heck had he ended up here?

Chat Noir seemed equally stunned but quickly recovered. "Marinette, you shouldn't be here. You need to get to safety."

Blue eyes narrowed. That was an awfully Adrien thing to say. Had her partner run into him? "I was looking for my friend, Adrien. I saw him go this way."

Feline eyes bulged as Chat Noir flashed his teeth in a grin that was obviously forced. "Um, Adrien, no. He uh, he's not here. But I can assure you he's safe."

Marinette's heart began to pound. Adrien had gone in there and he had not come out. At least not in the same attire. Tilting her head back, the girl studied Chat Noir long and hard. "He didn't come out. I should go in there in check on him."

A firm hand latched onto her upper arm, bring her to a swift stop. "I'll take care of it." His fingers flexed against her bicep as they stared at each other.

"Why don't you want me to go in there?"

Chat Noir's lips pressed firmly together in a diagonal line while his eyes wandered skyward as if deliberating a plausible lie. "I-I saw a couple making out down there. We really shouldn't disturb them."

A resounding crash had them both turning their heads as two cars were tossed over the open-air space an onto the opposite roof. "I need to get going," Chat Noir stated as he grabbed his stick from his back.

Marinette realised she too needed to get away. Again, she tried reaching for the door only to have her wrist grabbed by Chat Noir in a firm hold, tugging her to his side as he launched them off the ground. He deposited her at the top of the library steps. "Hide in there, you should be safe."

She barely had time to nod before he was off. Inwardly cursing her luck, Marinette snaked her way through the bookshelves in the library and flicked open her handbag to find an impatient Tikki. "What took so long?"

"Sorry, I'll explain later. Tikki, spots on!"

In seconds she was Ladybug and she raced out of the library via a few gobsmacked students to join the fray with her partner.

"Nice of you to show up, milady." Chat Noir teased when she reached his side.

Ladybug's lips arched up in the faintest of smiles. "Good to see you too, kitty."

Her positive greeting had Chat Noir sidling up to her, grazing his shoulder against hers. "Did you miss me?"

"No, but let's hope the next car does."

Cat ears pricked up as Chat Noir watched yet another car sail through the sky, this time headed their way. Ladybug tossed her yoyo, grabbed her partner around the waist and swung them out of harm's way.

Ladybug got her game face on and pushed all thoughts of Adrien to the back of her mind. Together she and Chat Noir defeated yet another akuma and did their thing. In this instance, Chat Noir had used his power before she'd used hers, meaning she had more time on her countdown than he did.

As they parted ways, Ladybug made her way back to the school and tucked herself in a narrow space on the rooftop to see if her partner returned to the place she'd originally found him. Sure enough, Chat Noir skulked into the school and straight to the doorway she was spying on below. In walked Chat Noir and a minute later, a blonde head poked out the doorway, peering left and right, then Adrien Agreste strolled out with his hands in his pockets. And he was whistling like a completely nonchalant cartoon character you know has been up to something.

"No!" Ladybug gasped to herself. "It can't be." Her earrings gave their final minute warning, breaking her out of her stunned stupor, meaning she had enough sense to find somewhere to transform back before she slumped to the ground in shock.

* * *

 _ **Surprise, surprise - how do you think Marinette will react now that she knows? We haven't had that long conversation with Tikki yet, let's hope she's kind to her chosen XD**_

 _ **Thanks for reading and thanks so much for your favourites, follows and reviews :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

**-3 -**

Marinette was doing her best to regulate her own breathing in attempt to stifle the panic attack that was looming her way. Tikki was reassuring her that everything was okay, although the kwami was fully aware of what had just transpired. Unlike her chosen, Tikki had already known that Adrien was Chat Noir. It was why she'd been trying to convince Marinette to leave the poor boy to his own devices. But as usual, Marinette couldn't stay away when it came to the blonde model.

Now the poor girl looked like she could pass out from the shock. Her dearest crush was also her zany partner. The same boy who'd been declaring his feelings for quite a while. No wonder Marinette was in such a state.

"He's… he's… he's…"

"I know," Tikki soothed.

"B-but how? It can't be."

"Yet it is. This is why I was discouraging you from spying on him. You weren't ready to know."

Marinette's bluebell eyes narrowed. "You've known since Dark Owl! All this time! How could you not tell me!"

"It was to protect both your safety and his, Marinette. Don't worry, I was just as surprised when I saw who lay under that mask. The boy sure acts differently when out of costume."

"Like totally different," Marinette said with a rapid bob of her nodding head.

People were flowing back into the school grounds. "You need to get to class. Otherwise people will notice."

Sucking in a deep breath, Marinette rose up on her unsteady legs. "I can do this," she mumbled to herself.

"Look at it this way. You are fine with speaking to Chat Noir. Visualise Adrien in the mask and you might be able to talk to him with the same amount of ease." Tikki suggested.

Straightening her trembling shoulders, Marinette marched to her classroom and ambled through the door. Of course, it was the one day that Adrien chose to look straight at her as she arrived. True to form, she tripped over her own feet yet somehow managed to regain her balance before falling on her face.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" Those amazing green eyes studied her with concern. Melting her heart and rendering her voice useless.

She managed a garbled, "Mmhm."

"That's good." Apparently, he was fluent in Marinette gibberish.

She knew she was staring and should move on but those emerald depths held her in place. It was only when he shyly dipped his head and peered at her sideways that she regained her ability to move. Then his teeth sank into his plush bottom lip and she was helpless again. "Were you looking for me earlier?"

The girl forced down her panic and plastered a smile on her face that she hoped looked natural. "Um, yeah. I-I thought you had run off in the wrong direction."

Adrien raised his hand to rub the back of his neck, tilting his chin down so that lustrous blonde hair tumbled near his eyes. "Thanks for looking out for me. But you didn't need to worry. Chat Noir had it covered."

A touch of arrogance flickered in those adorable peepers and Marinette felt her hackles rise. The ghost of Chat Noir was making himself known in the depths of her crush's eyes. That spark of her cocky partner had her spine straightening and her nervous stutters fading. "Chat Noir was by himself when I saw him."

Those eyes strayed from hers and down to his own knuckles, his hands fisted on top of the desk. "You must have just missed me."

Now was not the time to discuss what she'd learned. Instead she let it pass. "Guess so." With the slightest of nods and a glance of fake acceptance, Marinette made her way to her desk and settled into her seat. It was then that Alya and Nino entered the room, hand in hand. Watching her best friend with her boyfriend made Marinette's heart ache for that closeness. Her gaze immediately turned to Adrien and she realised something. Chat Noir always wanted Ladybug's attention. If she offered to hold his hand, he wouldn't pull away.

Last patrol he's asked her out for ice cream and she'd reluctantly agreed. Perhaps this was her opportunity to win over her crush. Even if he was in costume and had no idea that she was crushing on him too.

With this in mind, Marinette felt a sense of excitement wash over her. While she'd never entertained the idea of flirting with Chat Noir before, she was certainly considering it now. But in reality, could she do it? Her mind was still having trouble believing that her crush was also her partner. Heck, what if she was wrong and she flirted with Chat only to later learn that he wasn't Adrien.

Picking up her textbook, Marinette fanned her face and remember her discussion with Tikki. The red kwami had confirmed that Adrien was Chat. There was no doubt. Swallowing, Marinette peered down at her crush and visualised the cat ears upon his blonde head.

When class finished she unconsciously approached Adrien as he packed his back. Marinette was so caught up in her thoughts that she reached out and dragged her fingers through Adrien's fringe, snagging a thick lock to pull it down the centre of his forehead.

The model froze. Green eyes looked up and widened. But they weren't as wide as Marinette's. That thick tendril of hair sitting waywardly upon Adrien was evidence enough. It was him. Adrien Agreste was her partner without costume.

Realising what she had done, Marinette quickly supplied an excuse. "Y-you had s-something in your h-hair." Then she hastily stroked his locks back into place with unsteady fingers and backed away. She could not think about how soft his hair was, nor how his eyelids drooped as if he liked the contact.

Right now, Marinette needed to go home and regroup because she was going to need all her wits about her to ensure she wasn't distracted by her partner in the next akuma attack. But before she got two steps out of the room, a hand caught her wrist and brought her to a stop. Turning, she almost crashed into the chest of her crush.

Adrien's voice was low and quiet. "Marinette, do you think I'm…" he stared at her as he trailed off while gesturing with his hand as though he didn't want to finish that sentence.

"You're?" she encouraged, acting dumb.

His eyes darted from side to side as he lowered his head and breathed in her ear. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

Marinette closed her eyes as a pleasant shiver zipped through her body at Adrien's nearness. Those words practically caressed her with each breath. Oh yeah, she wanted to ask him something. Would he kiss her? Go out with her? When he didn't move away she realised he was waiting for her answer. Adrien lingered close because he suspected what she was potentially going to ask. He suspected she knew. Should she confirm or deny what she had learned?

To buy more time, she simply asked. "What shampoo do you use?"

* * *

 _ **Will Adrien be deflected so easily or will he continue to question Marinette? Find out more next chapter.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**-4-**

The question Marinette had posed clearly took her crush by surprise. Something like relief flashed in Adrien's eyes, quickly followed by a smirk. "Shampoo? Hmm, I could tell you what I use but it's a trade secret."

The playful look on his face was all Chat Noir and Marinette swallowed hard. How had she not noticed before? Even his mannerisms were a mirror of her partner's, especially that hand on the hip and jut of his chin. She forced a small smile to grace her lips. "Top secret business you say."

Adrien dropped his shoulders to hunch down conspiratorially. "Oh yeah. I'd hate to burden you with such coveted information."

Somehow, she doubted that he'd be as concerned about his shampoo secret compared to his alter ego. But right now, she needed to play dumb. Marinette wasn't ready to reveal what she knew. She needed to digest this discovery and approach him when her mind and mouth were able to function together with some symmetry. Knowing that Adrien was Chat Noir was messing with her mind.

Yet Adrien was still standing there looking at her expectantly. His fingers were curled around his bag strap as he studied her with nothing but friendliness in his eyes. He was waiting for her response. Drawing in a deep breath, she spoke with a clearness gleaned from her new knowledge. "I wouldn't consider any of your secrets a burden. You are my friend, Adrien."

His smile widened to expose his perfect teeth and something like gratitude settled in his expression. "Thanks, that's nice to know." Then he reached out to pat her shoulder and she felt her knees weaken at the contact. "Sorry to run, I've got Chinese lessons this afternoon and I better not be late."

"Oh, um, okay."

Adrien continued to watch her as he walked off, his hand raised in a wave as he headed towards the exit. If he still suspected that she knew his more serious secret, he didn't show it. Marinette trailed out after him, her steps slow as she dragged her feet. The model was sitting in the backseat of his family car as she began her decent to the footpath and his bodyguard swiftly closed the car door, concealing Adrien from view. Marinette gave a hesitant wave back to the tinted window and turned to go home.

* * *

Hours later, Marinette sat at her desk trying to immerse herself in her homework. For the umpteenth time she pinched the bridge of her nose in attempt to refocus. Yet her mind was swirling with Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir. "I need to clear my head," she muttered out loud.

"How are you going?" Tikki asked.

"Still feeling weirded out. I'm having trouble getting my head around the fact that my partner is also my crush." Laying down her pen, Marinette scrubbed her hands over her face. "To think all this time, I've been pushing Chat Noir away whenever he flirts and it was Adrien!"

Tikki gave her a sympathetic look. "But you know now."

"Yeah and I don't know how to act. Chat Noir expects Ladybug to be confident and in control. He's going to think there's something wrong with me if I'm suddenly a blubbering, clumsy mess in front of him."

"Then don't be. Focus on him being Chat Noir and only Chat Noir. You've never had a problem talking to him in the suit. Forget the Adrien component, push it to the back of your mind."

"Easier said that done." Marinette grumbled.

"Chances are you'll meet up next for an akuma attack and you can focus on that rather than him."

Letting out a sigh, Marinette conceded with a nod. "You're right. Generally speaking, I concentrate more on the task at hand than Chat. He's the one who gets distracted."

A cheeky grin spread across Tikki's face. "Maybe now you can understand his behaviour more. You tend to forget everything but Adrien when he's near. It's probably the same for Chat Noir when close to Ladybug."

Marinette groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Not helping, Tikki."

The red kwami chuckled. "I'm just trying to give you some perspective on the situation."

"Yeah right, why do I get the impression you're finding this highly amusing?"

"Maybe because it is. Think about it. In essence, this is what you want. You said you wanted Adrien to like you as more than a friend and in a roundabout way he does, he just doesn't know it yet."

Groaning, Marinette raked her fingers through her bangs. "This is absolute torture."

"You should consider telling him that you know his identity. But I'd suggest doing it as Ladybug. If you do it as Marinette he may feel a sense of torn loyalty and guilt."

"What do you mean?"

"Chat Noir has made his feelings very clear when it comes to revealing identities. He wants Ladybug to know first. If someone else found out, he'd be devastated. For Ladybug to acknowledge that she accidentally discovered his true identity would be less of a blow than if you did it as Marinette. If anything, he'd probably be excited about it from Ladybug."

"Yeah, then he'd want to know my identity and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. Besides, he might work it out himself since I'm pretty sure he suspected that I might have put the pieces together as Marinette. The timing is a little too convenient."

Tikki settled on the open textbook. "You don't need to do anything now but I wouldn't leave it too long. Trust is vital in your partnership. Chat Noir might act all brash and cocky but when it comes down to it I believe he'd be very hurt if you kept this from him."

Normally, Marinette would have brushed aside that consideration but knowing who lay beneath that black mask made her reconsider. Adrien Agreste might come from wealth and prosperity but he was emotionally vulnerable. He lived and dealt with a level of isolation she could barely fathom. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do.

* * *

 _ **I'm thinking an encounter with Chat Noir is coming next. What do you hope will happen?**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Warning, very minor S3 reference/spoiler. Skip paragraph three if you want to avoid it.**_

 **-5-**

Marinette had hoped that her first meeting with Chat Noir would have been in the field of battle, during an akuma attack, but she wasn't so lucky. All day Saturday she had looked at her phone in the hope that there would be an akuma alert yet none ever came. It seemed she would be coming face to face with her partner at patrol.

Tikki had reassured her than everything would be okay, although Marinette wasn't convinced. With a sense of dread, she'd transformed into Ladybug and made her way across the Paris skyline. Her heart pounded furiously as she came closer to her destination. She'd contemplated over and over how she could discuss what she' learned. Plus, she'd considered how Chat Noir could potentially react.

Deep down she was concerned that Chat Noir's feelings would change when he learned his lady was actually his good friend Marinette. Heck, he'd already brushed off her so-called affection when they'd had that confusing run in which had resulted in the akumatisation of her father. There was also going to be further confusion because Chat Noir might assume that she'd set her sights on someone else, since she had told him as Ladybug that there was a boy she was interested in.

With a groan of frustration, Ladybug did her best to shove the thoughts aside as she came to rest high on the Eiffel Tower. For a moment she thought she'd arrived first and let out a deep sigh. Chat Noir emerged from behind a beam and his smirk fell at her expression. "Is everything alright, milady?"

Startled, Ladybug pressed a hand to her heart. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish rub of his nape.

Blue eyes widened. Damn, that was such an Adrien gesture. She needed to jump straight to the point. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Cat ears pivoted in her direction as the tip of his tail twitched. "Oh," he said, looking both intrigued and slightly wary. "What is it?"

Ladybug crossed her arms and rubbed her hands over her elbows. "Well, I um…" she scrunched closed her masked eyes and blurted it out, "I know who you are."

As she pried open her eyelids, Ladybug found Chat Noir staring at her with a mystified look on his face. His smile had dropped but his lips remained parted. His voice was ever so quiet as he asked, "How did you find out?"

"I accidently came across you when transforming."

Chat Noir's eyes widened in shock before he nodded. "Okay then, who am I?"

Skimming her teeth across her bottom lip, Ladybug shuffled closer to her partner and whispered, "Adrien Agreste."

This time it was Chat Noir who closed his eyes, savouring the sound of his name from her lips. When he opened his eyes, Ladybug saw that his pupils were full and wide. He edged closer until the tip of his nose almost touched hers as he angled his face down to her height. At this distance she could hear the thrum of his purring.

Chat Noir's voice was low and rough, "Say it again."

The frantic pounding of Ladybug's heart seemed so loud she half expected him to hear it. His name rolled slowly off her tongue. "Adrien Agreste."

The black clad hero swayed towards her with hooded eyes, seemingly dazed and Ladybug couldn't help but teetered on her feet in response. She took hold of Chat's biceps to steady herself, staring at his chest which was rapidly shifting with his every breath. Then his cheek brushed hers as he spoke against her ear. "This is the part where you tell me who you are."

Blonde tuffs of his wild mop tickled the side of her face. Ladybug worried her bottom lip as she considered her words but the moment Chat Noir nuzzled the shell of her ear she gasped out her name, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Chat Noir froze against her then rocked back on his heels to look her in the eye. Uncertainty had him raising a masked eyebrow. "Did you say Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

Ladybug's eyes bulged as she nodded, stunned by her own admission.

A puzzled expression settled onto her partner's face. "You're messing with me, right?"

The astounded feeling left the heroine and all her previous worry and doubt returned. "Why would I lie about this?"

"Well, um, I don't know." Chat Noir replied as he placed his hands at his back. "I just have a hard time believing Marinette is under that mask. She's kind of clumsy and inarticulate. Don't get me wrong, I really like Marinette. She's a good friend of mine."

Ladybug's masked eyebrows arrowed down. "But you don't believe Marinette could be Ladybug." With a snort, the heroine crossed her arms and turned her back on him. Her tone was curt, "Thanks for letting me know what you think of me."

"Wait, you mean you really are Marinette?"

"Yes!" she snapped as she glared over her shoulder.

Chat Noir fiddled with the end of his tail as he approached her, his head down as he gazed at his partner through his blonde fringe. "I'm stunned, I don't know what to say."

With a heavy sigh, she turned towards him. "I know the feeling. I felt the same way when I realised who it is under your mask."

Feline eyes darted away, then back again. "Were you disappointed?"

Her heart tumbled to her stomach, is that how he felt? Pushing the thought aside, she shook her head. "Shocked, yes. Disappointed, no."

"I-I'm glad you weren't disappointed."

"Are you?"

"What? No! Of course not."

Silence hung heavily between them as they peered at each other and away awkwardly. Ladybug cleared her throat. "So, um, we should patrol."

"Yes," Chat concurred with far too much enthusiasm. "Let's do that."

It seemed things had gotten weird. For the next hour their conversation was stilted. Their easy-going banter was blatantly missing and Ladybug couldn't help but wonder if she should have kept her mouth shut.

When they eventually finished their circuit, Chat Noir was toying with the end of his stick. "Um, do you still want to go for ice cream?"

Ladybug grinned. "I'd love to."

* * *

 _ **Things are looking up for the superhero duo. Will ice cream time be a success?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading. Your reviews and support are appreciated.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**-6-**

Ladybug was still feeling stunned at Chat Noir's response to her identity. Had it been so hard to believe that she was Marinette? It made her wonder, was he convinced that she'd told him the truth? Periodically he would glance at her with an expression that looked a lot like confusion.

Maybe agreeing to go for ice cream was a bad idea. Yet she didn't know how to take back her suggestion without things getting even more awkward. Her agreeance had him smiling at least. Even if his eyes displayed bewilderment. Then again, was it that surprising? It pained her to admit that Adrien Agreste had never looked at her as anything more than a friend. Was he having trouble reconciling the girl he fancied with the girl she actually was? It was a depressing thought.

Somehow Ladybug managed to keep the sorrow out of her eyes. Would this change their dynamic? Would Chat Noir drop the flirting now he knew she was Ladybug? He certainly wasn't all touchy feely like normal. If anything, he was reserved and respectful of her personal space. This was not the Chat Noir she was used to.

She continued to follow his lead, expecting him to take her to an ice cream shop. Honestly, she should have known better. Chat Noir to led her directly to Andre's ice cream cart. Her heart thundered at the implication, sweethearts came here to share dessert.

Andre grinned the moment he saw them. "Ladybug, Chat Noir, my favourite pair of love birds."

Normally this claim would have resulted in an eyeroll from Ladybug, but today she hoped there was some truth in the comment. The heroine was so lost in her own thoughts that she took little notice of what Andre dished out for them. But Chat Noir was grinning widely as he took the dessert for two and showed it to her.

Apparently, her partner couldn't resist reciting what the ice cream seller had said. "Blueberry for her eyes, pistachio for his and raspberry for the love they share."

Did this mean Chat Noir was pleased with the explanation or just happy about the flavours?

"We should eat this together, bugaboo."

She blinked back to reality as he hooked his free arm through hers and guided her to a nearby park bench. Together they sat and Ladybug reached for the spoon closest. Chat Noir's eyes were on her as she went for the top scoop of blueberry.

"You should start with the pistachio," he crooned.

Ladybug paused. That sounded positively flirty. "You have a thing for blueberry?"

"I do," he replied with a lopsided smirk that was more reminiscent of his usual self.

With a shrug, Ladybug dipped her spoon in the pistachio and sampled the ice cream. Chat Noir did the same and grinned at her with his spoon in his mouth. "I wonder if the magic happens with the first bite or once we've finished the lot."

"Magic?" she asked absently as she took another spoonful.

"Yeah, remember Andre associates his ice cream with love."

Ladybug raised her masked eyebrow with intrigue. "Are you hoping I'll fall in love with you, Chat Noir?"

His face turned as red as her costume and his confidence seemed to waver. "Maybe."

She wondered if it was too forward to suggest that they should have gotten the ice cream as just Marinette and Adrien. She'd fantasied about doing it and even schemed with Alya and the girls to make it happen. Instead she'd had to deal with a giant baby obsessed with lollipops and spent more time with Chat than Adrien. Her eyes widened at that. Turns out she did spend time with Adrien, she just didn't know it then.

Ladybug eyed him sideways. "Ever consider going on a rickshaw?"

Chat Noir laid his arm along the back of the seat and leaned her way. "Not overly. Did you want to with me?"

The fantasy replayed in her mind. Alix wasn't here to throw rose petals at them which was a shame. Glancing at Chat she inwardly sighed. Her plan had involved Adrien not her partner. Knowing it was Adrien under the mask made her heart pound in a way it never had before but he was gazing at Ladybug, not Marinette.

"It's probably a little too conspicuous while transformed." She hoped he'd suggest they do it outside their costumes.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's just enjoy the ice cream."

Disappointment settled heavily in her chest. That wasn't the answer she was hoping for.

If Chat Noir noticed he didn't mention it. Instead he continued to talk about the ice cream, describing how delicious and wonderful it was. How he'd been waiting to share this with her for so long. He gushed like a smitten fanboy and Ladybug was starting to get annoyed. Was he forgetting she was Marinette? Was he too busy focusing on her heroine persona that he'd dismissed the other side of her personality?

The consumption of the ice cream couldn't come fast enough. Chat Noir even had the audacity to lick her spoon when she placed it in the empty container. Part of her was secretly thrilled that her crush wanted to place his mouth on something that had been in hers, yet he was still wearing that darn mask.

Chat disposed of their rubbish and returned to offer his hand. Hesitantly, Ladybug accepted the help to get up. Once on her feet she considered whether or not to tug her hand away. Chat Noir was back to smouldering at her, although there was a touch of uncertainty in his feline eyes.

"I guess we're done for the night," she said, removing her hand from his to cross her arms.

"Home time?" he asked with an uplift to his voice that she didn't know how to take.

"Yeah, I've got a stack of homework to do."

"Me too," he said with a soft smile.

An awkward tension began to grow and Ladybug disentangled her yoyo from her hips. "So, I guess I'll see you around." She couldn't exactly say where, Andre and his customers weren't too far away.

"I'll race you," Chat Noir teased, ignoring her previous comment as he extended his stick and vaulted skyward.

Before she could say another word, her partner was off. Shaking her head, Ladybug tossed her yoyo and headed home. She wasn't going to bother chasing after Chat Noir, he was just playing for more time together and she was already emotionally drained.

But there was something she was forgetting. Chat Noir now knew her identity which also meant he knew where she lived. Sure enough, he was standing on her balcony panting when she arrived. "Beat you," he grinned.

"This isn't wise, Chat. You shouldn't be here."

He seemed unfazed by her concern. "We've been on your balcony before, bugaboo." He leaned in close. "And I remember all the posters you have in your room of me unmasked. Are you sure it's only fashion you're interested in?"

Ladybug's masked eyes widened and she took a step back. "I-I, um…"

"It's okay you don't have to answer, bugaboo. To know you have posters of me all over your walls, under your bed and well, everywhere, is suddenly more flattering." He leaned towards her as her cheeks burned. "Goodnight, milady, and thanks. Thanks for telling me."

Chat Noir reached out to hold her upper arms and press a kiss to her cheek. "While unexpected, it was a nice surprise."

With that the black clad hero backed away, watching her the entire time until he bumped into the railing. With a coy smile, he extended his stick and swung away, waving as he left.

Ladybug noticed that he continued to glance back until he was out of sight.

* * *

 _ **Ladybug may be confused as to how her partner is feeling but he's about to make it more transparent. Do you think Marinette needs a homework buddy?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading. Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favourites. They make me smile.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**-7-**

Studying was very difficult for Marinette the following morning, since her mind was filled with a boy who wore a catsuit and modelled. It was kind of ironic when she thought about it. A cat themed superhero who also graced the catwalk. Maybe Master Fu had more of a sense of humour that she'd initially thought.

Marinette smooth the textbook page and tried to jot some notes. But her mind kept wandering. "Tikki, I can't focus," she grumbled as she scrubbed a hand over her face.

"I can understand that. You've got a lot on your mind and you didn't sleep well. Why don't you take a break, grab a snack and see if that helps?"

"Okay. I think Dad just finished baking some cookies."

"I like that idea," Tikki grinned.

But as she stood to leave, her phone pinged. Marinette picked it up and stared. "Adrien is texting me!"

The red kwami looked down at the phone and read the message.

 **Adrien: Hi Marinette, you mentioned that you were doing homework today. Mind if I come over and study with you?**

"What do I say?"

"If you want him to come over, say yes."

 **Marinette: That should be okay. I was just stopping for a snack break.**

 **Adrien: Sounds like purrfect timing on my part.**

"Oh heck, his Chat Noir is really showing."

Tikki read over her shoulder. "I guess he's happy to show you that side of his personality now."

"I'm not sure I want to see it."

The red kwami gave her an incredulous look. "Are you sure about that?"

Marinette gave a coy shrug. "Maybe."

"How about we head downstairs and you can get the snacks ready before he arrives?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Yet by the time they made it to the bottom of the stairs, the dark-haired girl was surprised to hear a knock on the private entrance door. Surely he couldn't have arrived that fast. With a shrug, Marinette decided it was best opened the door and find out. Tikki wasted no time in zipping back upstairs to hide from their new company.

Unlocking the door, Marinette swung it open and forgot to breathe. There stood Adrien Agreste looking like he'd just stepped from the runway with his schoolbag held tight against his chest, smiling at her with a faint blush. "Hi Marinette. I, um, hope I wasn't too forward in inviting myself over to study."

Marinette's eyebrows had risen and disappeared under her bangs. "No, no, of course not. You're welcome anytime."

"I am?" he said with a hopeful look that made her heart race.

"Sure." Gosh this was awkward. "Want to come and pick out some snacks?"

The blonde nodded eagerly. "I'd love to," he replied as his blush deepened and he rubbed at his nape.

She glanced over his shoulder to see the black sedan sitting in wait. His bodyguard was probably checking he made it inside okay. Stepping back, Marinette waved Adrien in. "This way."

"Sounds like I came at just the right time," the blonde grinned as she closed the door. He glanced from side to side and dipped his head to whisper, "You wouldn't happen to have anything with cheese for Plagg?"

"Um… possibly. I'll see what I can do." Marinette said, turning away to lead him to the bakery. Part of her was thrilled to have Adrien visit but another part of her brain kept turning over the fact that he was also Chat Noir. And by his last comment, he liked having someone in on the secret.

A blush stained her cheeks as she considered the fact that Chat Noir was crushing on her. Well, on Ladybug. She really didn't know what he thought now. Particularly when it came to them being out of the masks. Mentally shaking the thoughts away, the pair made it to the bakery kitchen doorway.

"Hey Dad," Marinette called to ensure her father knew they were there.

Tom turned with a jovial smile which only widened when he saw Adrien. "I didn't know we had a visitor."

"Adrien has come over to study. We were just going to get something to eat."

"You're in luck. The cookies are over there cooling."

"Great. Um, are there any cheese twists I can grab?"

"Sure," Tom said as he reached for a tray behind him and passed over two.

Marinette grabbed a plate and led Adrien to the items they could choose from. The boy grinned with delight and pointed out what he liked the look of. Marinette quickly piled the selection on the plate and headed upstairs with her guest.

For once her focus was on maintaining the plate in her hands, and not being distracted by her crush. She inwardly winced as they entered her room, she hadn't bothered to take down her montage of Adrien pictures. There hadn't been a lot of point since he already knew she had them up.

Placing the plate on her desk, Marinette shuffled her homework over so there was room for Adrien. "I'll just grab you the other chair," she stated but as she turned around. Adrien was directly in her path and an awful lot closer than she'd been expecting. Instinctively, she raised a hand to stop herself from crashing into him, this meant that particular hand landed right on his chest. Was it her imagination or could she feel the pound of his heart?

It had to be wishful thinking. As much as Chat Noir liked to flirt, Adrien had only ever seen her as a friend. She dropped her hand away from him and stepped back. It was time to get that chair. Marinette whisked away and hurried back with his seat, putting it close but not too close to hers.

As they said down together she pointed to her books. "I was just working through our science homework. Want to start there?"

Adrien quirked a brow. "Hmm, chemistry does seem like a good place to start."

Wide-eyed, Marinette was fairly certain there was more to that comment than surface value. In order to break herself out of her stunned stare at the boy who was eyeing her with a nervous smile, Marinette reached for a cookie and shoved it in her mouth.

She could practically feel those green eyes on her. "So, uh, which question were you up to?"

With a mouthful of biscuit, all Marinette could do was point.

"Okay then, I'll catch up and we can go through them together."

Marinette cast a quick glance at him and nodded. Inwardly she prayed that she could act like a normal person. It was so much easier dealing with him when he had the mask on. However, the idea of Adrien flirting like Chat Noir held a certain amount of appeal too.

* * *

 ** _Could Marinette finally be getting the attention she's been hoping for from Adrien? You bet. But how will she handle it?_**

 ** _Thanks for reading. Your reviews and thoughts are appreciated :)_**


	8. Chapter 8

_Warning: Some S3 spoilers here..._

* * *

 **-8-**

It didn't take long for Adrien to catch up and for a while Marinette was able to focus on her schoolwork rather than the boy beside her. The two kwamis had taken their pick of the food and retreated to one of the windowsills to chat. Yet the reprieve from nervousness disappeared for Marinette when she began comparing answers with Adrien. It was oh so subtle yet the blonde began to touch her in passing, be it a brush of his arm against hers or his thigh against her knee. At first, Marinette thought it an unconscious thing until he softly caressed the back of her hand with his knuckle.

Her response wasn't pretty. The girl almost shot out of her chair at the contact, her arms windmilling as she tried to stay in her seat. Adrien snagged her elbow and saved her balance but not her pride. "S-Sorry," she winced.

The model's cheeks were mottled pink. "It's okay," he said, shying away to stare at his page while biting hard on his bottom lip.

"I-I wasn't expecting that." She mentally kicked herself. This was not how to win over Adrien. It was like her body was set to self-sabotage. Letting out a deep sigh, Marinette settled back into her chair and tried to hide her disappointment at the polite distance Adrien put between them.

As Marinette glanced over at him, she noticed he was looking at her wall of pictures and felt her cheeks heat. Would he still buy her explanation of loving fashion? His green eyes darted to her and he cleared his throat. "Do you have a favourite picture?"

Cocking her head to the side, Marinette scanned the images on the wall. There was one particular magazine cover she'd always liked. It was a black and white photo with Adrien in black jeans, a dark grey t-shirt with the Gabriel 'G' on it paired with a white unbuttoned shirt that had black cuffs and a single black pocket. Adrien also wore a dark tie and she'd frequently fantasised about grabbing it and pulling him in for a kiss. Lifting her hand, Marinette pointed to the cover. "That one."

Adrien's eyes narrowed as he studied the picture. "That's pretty similar to what I usually wear."

"I liked the black highlights on the white shirt, plus the tie."

"But the tie is kind of an afterthought. I'm not even wearing it properly. I always thought I looked like a kid putting on his Dad's tie with just a t-shirt on."

Marinette's mouth moved before her brain could intercept. "It's the connotations the tie brings that makes the outfit appealing."

A blonde eyebrow quirked with intrigue. "And those connotations are?"

She swallowed and wished her face wasn't as red as a rose. "Well… um…"

Adrien crossed his arms and gave her impatient look while tapping his foot. But it was the emotion in his eyes that really threw her. It was like he was on the verge of smouldering smugness. He knew, he just wanted her to say it.

"That, uh, the tie could be used to… reel you in."

Resting his elbow on the desk, Adrien leaned closer to her. "And once I was reeled in, what happens next?"

All she could do was stare at him. How could she possibly answer without embarrassing herself? Or did he want her to admit that she wanted him? If he were simply Chat Noir she would assume that were the case, but he was Adrien too and Adrien didn't see Marinette that way, did he?

Wetting her top lip with her tongue, Marinette answered, "Whatever the viewer wants to imagine."

Those green eyes had focussed on her mouth, at her flash of tongue, and his voice was thick. "But what do you imagine?"

Good heavens, he was leaning closer and Marinette was entranced by his nearness. Her brain was having trouble formulating an answer but she was saved from doing so when the trapdoor opened and Tom poked his head up. "I've got fresh croissants."

A touch of frustration had Adrien's eyebrows lowering and his mouth pulling into a firm line. But the expression melted away as he turned to Tom. "I'd love a croissant."

The pair picked out what they wanted, although Marinette grabbed something mainly to be polite. Perhaps Tikki or Plagg would want it. Tom gave a friendly smile and disappeared back downstairs. She glanced to Adrien who was busy munching his food as he looked over his answers.

"I think we're done with this. Our answers are pretty thorough."

Marinette nodded, scanning over her own work. "What do you want to study next?"

The model licked his fingers clean of the pastry in a way that made her want to groan. Somehow, she stifled the need as he swivelled his chair to face her. "I'm thinking history."

"Okay," Marinette lurched towards her textbook but Adrien caught the side of her chair and spun it to face him.

"How about we talk about our history first."

Her lungs were doing that stupid thing where they refused to work properly. "Our history?"

"Yes."

She noticed his hands were still firmly latched on the sides of her chair and he was closing the distance between them again. "Specifically, what you said to me on your balcony a while back."

"Balcony?" Marinette had a fair idea of what he was referring to but didn't want to put her foot in her mouth.

Adrien's thumbs caressed the outsides of her thighs. "When I was in the mask, you told me you loved me."

Yep, she thought he was going to bring that up. "I did."

"Is it true? And if so, why tell me as Marinette and not as Ladybug?"

She swallowed. "That was a moment of panic."

A blonde eyebrow arched with intrigue. "Panic?" then realisation dawned in his eyes. "You thought I'd worked out your identity."

"I did."

"And your first reaction was to run into my arms and tell me you love me."

"Your arms were full. I guess it wasn't my finest hour."

"I beg to differ." Somehow, he'd moved closer.

Brushing off a flirty Chat Noir was one thing, but flirty Adrien was likely to make her self-combust. The reminder that he was in fact her cheeky partner brought back some of her inner confidence and she pressed a finger to the tip of his nose and pushed him back. "Besides you only wanted to be my friend."

"Only because I had no idea you were in fact my lady."

"And now that you know?"

"I take it back."

She frowned. "You don't want to be my friend?"

Adrien shook his head. "I want to be more than just your friend."

They were words she'd been dying to hear but Marinette was having trouble digesting them. "B-But you like Kagami."

His gaze wavered and slipped away.

So, she pressed on. "You even asked me for dating advice."

Those green eyes were locking with hers in an instant. "You'd rejected me that morning, again. Who is this boy that you love? Who is it that keeps us apart?"

Marinette was shocked by his anguish and assertiveness. Heck, had she known Chat Noir was Adrien she never would have rejected him. Yet her silence was to her detriment as Adrien put the wrong pieces together.

"Luka, it's Luka." He released his grip on her chair and turned away to rake a hand through his hair in agitation. Adrien's voice was quiet as he eyed her sideways. "What does he have that I don't?"

Her mouth dropped open, her brain stunned by his words. "He… he's not…"

Adrien raised his hand. "Forget I asked. You know what, I think I'm done studying for now. I'm not going to be able to concentrate." He quickly stood and jammed his things into his bag.

"Wait," she said latching onto his wrist. "You don't have to go."

He paused to stare at her fingers encircling him. "I want to stay but it's best that I don't. I don't want to say anything I might later regret."

His words cut her and she let go of him. "Okay."

"Plagg," Adrien called as he finished packing. "We're leaving."

The black kwami looked annoyed but sailed across the room. "Already?"

"Yeah." The model turned back to Marinette as Tikki hovered beside her. "See you at school."

* * *

 _ **Oh dear, Adrien has his wires crossed and Marinette didn't get a chance to set him straight. Will the confusion be resolved at their next meeting or will things get more complicated? Let me know your thoughts.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! :)**_


	9. Chapter 9

**-9-**

Marinette hadn't expected to see Adrien until Monday. After the way he'd stormed out, she had been almost certain of it. Her stupid bumbling mouth hadn't given her the opportunity to explain that Luka wasn't the guy she was crushing on. Instead she followed Adrien out, uttering nonsense in attempt to smooth things over. It didn't work.

For the rest of the day she'd alternated between trying to do her homework and yattering at Tikki for help. Of course, Tikki's advice consisted of the very cliché: the truth will set you free. The problem wasn't the truth, it was Marinette's ability to express her feelings to Adrien. Multiple attempts in the past had failed spectacularly. She wasn't even going to mention the prescription incident. That was something she hoped to forget.

After dinner, Marinette settled into bed with her tablet, intent on watching a romcom when there was a thud on the balcony above. Scrunching up her nose, the girl lifted her head and peered up at the skylight. She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw a pair of glowing feline eyes staring back down at her. Then he knocked on the glass and flashed her a dazzling smile.

Placing a hand over her thundering heart, Marinette stood and unlatched the skylight. "You scared the life out of me."

Chat Noir had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry. I thought my less than stealthy entrance would alert you to who was visiting."

"You could have been an akuma."

A cheeky grin spread across his face. "Want to transform for me?"

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you wanted to talk to me until school."

"I changed my mind." At that Chat Noir extended his hand to her. "There's something I want to show you."

Marinette glanced at his hand then down to her attire. "Should I get changed first."

Even in the dark, Marinette could see the blush staining Chat Noir's cheeks. "Um, yeah. That might be good. I'll go stand at the railing. Promise I won't look."

Scurrying off, Marinette quickly picked out a pair of jeans and t-shirt that were suitably cute and slipped on her shoes. In no time she was back at the skylight, flipping it open and climbing out.

Chat Noir looked over his shoulder. "You didn't transform."

"Was I meant to? I thought you wanted to show me something. Do we need to go somewhere?"

"Yeah," he said extending his hand again. "Will you come with me?"

"Okay."

Accepting his hand, Chat Noir pulled Marinette close. His gaze didn't stray from hers as he extended his stick and launched them into the sky. Without her suit, Marinette's grasp tightened on her partners arms. Praying that she wouldn't fall. Although she could always transform mid-air or wait for Chat Noir to catch her.

Their journey was relatively short and she was surprised when he took them into his bedroom.

"You better not have anything crude in mind."

"Me?" he looked insulted, yet grinned. "Hardly. Plagg, claws in."

Marinette watched as Chat Noir disappeared and Adrien Agreste was revealed. Her mouth dropped open when she noticed that he was wearing the outfit from the magazine clipping she said she'd liked best. The model smooth down his shirt and his grin turned roguish. "I thought you might like to see this outfit in person."

Before she could respond, Adrien grabbed her hand and led her to his piano. He sat and tugged her down to sit beside him. The model flicked both hands at the wrists and relaxed his fingers and began to play. His tone was soft as he spoke. "This song is by Elton John, and it's called _The One_ , I thought it appropriate." And then he sang.

Marinette was riveted by the gentle smoothness of his voice but a particular set of lyrics had her heart racing…

 _"In the instant that you love someone,_

 _In the second that the hammer hits,_

 _Reality runs up your spine,_

 _and the pieces finally fit._

 _And all I ever needed was the one,_

 _Like freedom fields where wild horses run,_

 _When stars collide like you and I,_

 _No shadows block the sun,_

 _You're all I ever needed,_

 _Babe, you're the one."_

She watched as he continued to play. Adrien kept glancing at her with meaningful looks while his fingers danced across the keys. By the time he finished his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths and his eyes held a vulnerability that made her realise the depth of his feelings.

"That was beautiful," she whispered.

"So are you," he uttered with reverence.

They continued to stare longingly into each other's eyes, the distance disappearing as their upper arms and shoulders pressed together. But Marinette laid a hand on his chest, stopping the descent of his face. "You were wrong about Luka. He's not the one I'm in love with."

Pain flittered across Adrien's face and his jaw clenched. Marinette pressed a finger to his lips before he could speak.

"It was you, Adrien. It was always you. It's why I was so shocked when I discovered you're also Chat Noir. I'd stupidly rejected the boy I so dearly wanted." Her hand shifted and she wrapped her fingers around his tie. "And this is what I imagined doing with your tie." Wrapping the material around her fist, Mariette gave a firm tug and tilted her face up to capture Adrien's lips.

The model's hands were suddenly cupping her jaw, then sank into her hair as he kissed her back. Time seemed to slow down as the pair kissed with unhurried ardour. Eventually, Marinette was the one to back away, still holding tight to Adrien's tie as she looked up at him.

Adrien smiled with undisguised adoration. "You love me?"

"Yes," she nodded, "Yes I do."

"Well I'm glad that's cleared up because I love you too."

* * *

It was a good thing there were no akuma attacks for the rest of the weekend because Ladybug and Chat Noir were far too interested in each other. Alya was beside herself as candid shots of the superhero duo kissing rolled in at the Ladyblog and she posted them for all to see. Yet she was annoyed because Marinette hadn't responded to her calls or texts.

By Monday Alya was antsy and ready to demand why Marinette hadn't been in touch. That was until she watched her best friend walking hand in hand to school with her crush. Finally, Marinette and Adrien had gotten together and my gosh they were adorable. Knowing this, all was forgiven, especially when Chloe exploded in a tirade while Marinette and Adrien merely shrugged then kissed. All was good in the world.

 _The End_

* * *

 _ **And there were have it. I could have drawn things out longer but this last chapter almost wrote itself. I hope you enjoyed the story. Thanks for reading,**_ ** _favouriting, following and reviewing. I really appreciate your support._**


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